Contact the Equity Team

  • Kelly Downes
    Chief Equity Officer and Title IX Coordinator
    Kelly Downes (she/her) has been at Berklee since March 2018. In her current role, she leads the Berklee equity team in responding to alleged violations of its Equity and Interim Title IX policies and processes, which prohibit and address sexual misconduct, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and discrimination and/or harassment based on age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, mental illness, military/veteran status, national and ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This includes supervising investigations; meeting with affected students, staff, and faculty; and ensuring that individuals receive appropriate support. You can reach her by emailing equity@berklee.edu or by calling 617-747-6591 and leaving a voicemail.
  • Julianna Despinos
    Deputy for Equity and Title IX Investigations

    Despinos is the primary investigator for all equity and Title IX complaints; meets with affected students, staff, and faculty; and creates alternative dispute resolution processes.

  • Amanda Bedford
    Administrative Coordinator and Outreach Assistant
    Amanda Bedford (she/her) started at Berklee in June 2018 and brings a wide range of experience from the fields of higher education and the arts to this role. In her current role, she supports creative programming, equitable policy, and institutional diversity to help the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI) serve as an educational and positive resource for the Berklee community. She is a good person to reach out to if you have a general question about the CDEI, or have a programming idea or request. You can reach her by emailing abedford@berklee.edu or by calling the CDEI main line at 617-747-3156 and leaving a voicemail.